Yesterday, I watched a lot of the speeches, mainly by opposition MPs, in the committee stages (parts 1 and 2) of the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill. Green, Labour and NZ First MPs highlighted much of the evils of this piece of legislation.

The second bill going through this week adds to this by (among other things):

• Replacing a number of current benefits, including the Sickness Benefit, with one ‘Job Seeker Support’ category, subject to a wide range of compulsory work tests and sanctions if tests aren’t fulfilled to Work & Income’s satisfaction.

• Introducing a Work Ability Assessment …

• Adding even further sanctions to those who don’t meet Work & Income requirements, including drug testing. …

To add insult to injury, there is zero Government commitment to job creation either – decent jobs at decent wages being the best solution to unemployment and poverty. …

These changes to our welfare system are all about making extra profits for big business while shoring up National’s vote at the next election from people who just need to have a section of society to hate and despise. I hope you will join me and groups like Auckland Action Against Poverty in exposing and opposing this for the vicious game it is.

Jacinda Ardern, whose performances can be patchy, gave a couple of very good speeches for parts 1 and 2 in the committee stages yesterday. The first speech laid out a lot of the destructive aspects of the Bill, and the underlying government agenda. In the second speech, she exposed some of the dodgy medical assessment processes.

Ardern is concerned that one of the most important parts of the Bill, on medical assessments, provides no information on how the assessments will work (around 7 minutes in the video). She refers to a submission from CCS Disability Action, which expresses concerns about the UK-style contracting out of assessments. Labour has tabled an SOP asking for the processes to be used for medical assessments to be debated in the House before any changes are passed. Ardern says that “any government who denies our ability to do that, is a government that has something to hide.”

He openly spreads the notion that access to social security is bad for people’s health. Do you know what’s bad for people’s health Mr Speaker: an undignified system that doesn’t focus on people’s strengths and abilities to get back into work; a system that doesn’t focus on their wellness; a system that instead allows them to squander (?) in poverty without the means necessary to even ensure they are one day employable again.

She goes on to argue that Bennett’s “cruel to be kind” approach had been tried back in Ruth Richardson’s time, and it had failed resulting in an increase in harm and a rise in child poverty.

Ardern also made excellent points about the way Bennett’s focus is on demonising single mothers, and ignoring the fathers. She says she missed the memo on immaculate conception. She exposes the myth of families aspiring solely to a life on welfare, and the destructive impact of the work overload on case managers.

Nevertheless, Ardern continues to focus on getting people back to work, rather than the importance of social security for those unable to engage in paid work for whatever reason.

The Greens focused more on other aspects of the role of social security. Mojo Mathers focused on the barriers to paid employment for disabled people. She is concerned that the Bill is following the UK’s failed model that focuses on work assessment. She also argues against the social obligation aspects and their negative impacts on parents of children with disabilities.

And the medical assessors hired by the MSoD aren’t accountable either because the medical council will not hear any complaint from a patient, because MSoD is the client, and only the client can complain about mistreatment, negligence, or malpractice

This is exactly the same barrier that prevents ACC claimants from having complaints about non-treating (ie toady assessor) doctors, heard. The medical council has been aware of the anomaly for decades but has not chosen to review the rule.

There appear to be layers of corrupt sophistry set up between Dr. Bratt and his kind and normal medical ethics. However, the NZ Medical Association, for example is reviewing its code of ethics and seeks submissions. The new draft document (pdf) adds several clauses to the “Doctors in a just and caring society” section.

The existing code requires that medical professionals “Adhere to the scientific basis for medical practice while acknowledging the limits of current knowledge.”

Where is the scientific basis for “Dr.” Bratt’s assertions about welfare and addiction?

I suggest that “Dr.” Bratt’s methods be subjected to professional scrutiny, and that the opposition parties apply pressure to the medical council and any other appropriate authorities to investigate his activities.

And the Regional Health and Disability Advisors hide behind that very same cloak, passing judgement over Doctors notes, or that of other registered health professionals while they themselves have no durisdication other than MSD decided to employ them to do this.

AsleepWhileWalking “strong”: Yes, you are right, and it has all been designed to be this way, by MSD!!!

The same will happen with the new regime they will bring in with outsourced “specialist assessors”. They will “merely” make recommendations, and then WINZ staff will make the ultimate decisions, in virtually all cases relying on those recommendations.

Chicken and egg debates will distract from and avoid pinning down responsibility.

Trouble is, the assessors may in many cases not be delivering a “health service”, they may only be “advisors” or “assessors” of types. Where the present law in NZ still kicks in is, where a medical practitioner or similarly qualified person under the relevant Act sees a person face to face to assess (not just on papers) for a third party, or their own client, then they are still bound by the ‘Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights’!

This may be somewhat different with outsourced service providers, as it will depend on how they will set it all up and do the assessments for work capacity or anything else.

The government is of course NOT HONEST on the planned medical and work capacity assessments, and hence they have not come out with details, still wanting the law with the legal provisions to allow them to outsource and do such assessing passed a.s.a.p., without revealing details.

Parliament and the public are being conned something big here. The law should NOT be passed and consented to until it is clear what these future assessments will look like, until they will have been scrutinised and debated, evaluated on legality, fairness, objectivity, scientific reason and more.

Outsourcing and not allowing any legal accountability is contempt of fair process and natural justice. This is a BIG ISSUE.

Trouble is, the assessors may in many cases not be delivering a “health service”, they may only be “advisors” or “assessors” of types. Where the present law in NZ still kicks in is, where a medical practitioner or similarly qualified person under the relevant Act sees a person face to face to assess (not just on papers) for a third party, or their own client, then they are still bound by the ‘Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights’!

Actually they aren’t. The H&D commissioner has stated that he has no jurisdiction to hear complaints unless they relate to sexual or physical assault. Because MSD is the client. This issue has been around for a long time.

If there is a face to face encounter during an assessment, the H+D Commissioner is still going to be looking at it. Trouble is, the present one is pretty useless.

All the Commissioners that hold office – and the Ombudsman – have been installed to be buffers to keep people from taking issues to court. And they only deal with the tip of the iceberg of issues in the end. I have ample knowledge and experience with this.

The whole system is designed to stifle any efforts by aggrieved to get justice.

In some ways, it may be better to have the US system to be able to sue and get the shits out of so many poorly performing, and harm creating medical and other practitioners, and also engaging in consultancy.

It does indeed stink to heaven what goes on in NZ. I have had to deal with a mental health flatmate, who was totally treated like crap, and the ADHB used Privacy Act and more to cover up. Sadly she was in an abusive relationship, so the abuser was on good terms with her psychiatrist, working for ADHB, so they all covered up, she in “co dependence” and as a “disempowered abused”.

NZ is a SHIT SOCIETY, for standards, and I have volumes of records proving this. So the “nationalists” here can stick this SHIT up their noses about NZ being world class and so. It is a total dirty lie, like so much about this country.

Yeah I’ve read this before.
It says the non-treating doctor must comply with the code, not that the patient may complain to the H&D if they have a genuine grievance about their treatment (outside of assault).

I know of more than ten people who have been told by the H&D that their complaints about assessors are outside of the H&D jurisdiction, and to take their complaint to the “client” whether MSD or ACC.

I agree with you about the real role of these so-called watch-dogs. However with a well put together case and decent legal representation a minority of patients can get some vestige of justice. I’ve won a case, though, of course, not against a non-treating doctor.

just saying:
“I know of more than ten people who have been told by the H&D that their complaints about assessors are outside of the H&D jurisdiction, and to take their complaint to the “client” whether MSD or ACC.”

Well, that is interesting.

I know of a case where an examining doctor (technically “assessor”) for a third party is being investigated by the Commissioner at present.

It may have depended on how those people presented their case.

Using the wrong choice of words and explanations can lead to a swift fob off, and the Health and Disability Commissioner does not seem to be obligated to assess and examine each complaint of such nature, but the paper from the Medical Council says at least, that he may or can.

So it may depend on how well a complainant words and argues her/his case. I agree though, that there is far too little scrutiny, and there is a lack of redress that can be ensured and enforced.

Few will even succeed to file a case before the courts, get legal aid perhaps, or have the brains, knowledge and skill to argue their own case successfully. MSD and WINZ have Crown Law, paid for by the taxpayer by the way. They can get the best lawyers if they want or need to, and a person representing her-/himself or with a newbie legal aid lawyer will have a shit show. Justice does exist in theory, and seldom in practice.

The Commissioner will not look into complaints about 3rd party assessors, if they only did the assessment “on the papers”. That means if the assessment was done without a face to face encounter and interview, then the Commissioner will not bother with it, as it is considered outside of their scope.

Yet when there was a face to face examination and interview, which was done as part of an assessment, then the H + D Commissioner may actually look at it, as that is within the scope of his/her office.

Xtasy,I know of a case where an examining doctor (technically “assessor”) for a third party is being investigated by the Commissioner at present.

That’s interesting. Let me know how it turns out.

I was told (face to face) by the commissioner, in a crowded meeting, that the office would not investigate any complaints about doctors commisioned by third parties unless sexual or physical assault was alleged.

In the cases I know of, which the commission refused to investigate, the complainants were explicitly told that the office had no jurisdiction to investigate complaints about “third party assessors”. The cases were in regard to face to face assessments.

I will be delighted if there has been a change of policy.

And please don’t patronise me Xtasy, as I said, I have taken a case against a doctor and won. So I know every step of the process

They can get the best lawyers if they want or need to,…

No, they get who the medical council appoints – been there tried to get someone else.

“MSD and WINZ have Crown Law, paid for by the taxpayer by the way. They can get the best lawyers if they want or need to, and a person representing her-/himself or with a newbie legal aid lawyer will have a shit show.”

I am not sure, whether you misunderstood the above, perhaps, just saying?

With that I meant the “third party”. But you will be right with lawyers representing the assessor, getting a lawyer appointed by the professional organisation (Medical Council).

They can get the best lawyers if they want or need to, and a person representing her-/himself or with a newbie legal aid lawyer will have a shit show.

Sorry, I misread and thought you were talking about the complainant in the whole sentence, not just the second half.

When the medical council decides to prosecute, they appoint (and pay for) a lawyer for the plaintiff. The doctor chooses his or her own lawyer. Usually a QC if the charges are serious. Inevitably a better representative than the lawyer appointed for the plaintiff.

I understand that currently this is accepted as the way things are, but surely this could be challenged? Surely a medical professional, with a current practicing certificate or not, is subject to the prevailing ethical rules? For example, the disciplinary authorities certainly have jurisdiction over those who try to practise after being struck off, whether it’s doctors, nurses, lawyers, etc. Surely if Bratt is dishing out medical advice, to whomever, this potentially brings him under the scrutiny of the relevant ethical complaints body? Perhaps this needs to be tested?

Sorry, Mary, Dr Bratt is not performing a role in delivering “medical services” in his role as Principal Health Advisor. Only a medical practitioner or other professional registered under the Health and Competency Assurance Act (I believe that is the right name) AND performing medicine, or delivering medical or health care and treatment services, is bound directly by the Code of Ethics, NOT any person, practicing or not, who is merely giving “advice” to another party, not receiving such health care or treatment services.

And the Health and Disability Commissioner’s code will not apply to advisors either.

Other codes for psychologists, counsellors and the likes have their limitations also.

The law would need to be changed, or a new law brought in, to cover advisory activities. Naturally the agency, department or company that employs or contracts with such an advisor, has means to discipline for breach of contract.

BUT have WINZ or MSD done anything to even raise some warning words to Dr Bratt and his bizarre claims and comparisons in his presentations (comparing beneficiaries with drug takers)??? NO, and that speaks for itself. Bratt’s master is apparently condoning what he is doing (using WINZ and MSD symbols and their names on his presentations)!

What comes to mind re his misdeeds is perhaps “discrimination” based on employment status (being unemployed, which in NZ usually goes hand in hand with being a beneficiary). So the Human Rights Act may be of some use there. But someone would neet to take it up. And then, is he strictly “discriminating” after all? Well we know he does in his peculiar ways, but the words he uses are “pseudo-science” and bizarre, largely unproved claims, not necessarily intended to discriminate.

He does after all arrogantly pretend to “do good” and “want to rescue” clients from “suffering”.

That is something I did not know, and I find it shocking. The DoS may count as “the client” but the DoS is not a person getting assessed by the doctor. This is extremely fishy, since it means that people who are not medical experts are in the position to determine whether or not a complaint made on medical grounds is worthy of further action.

Judicial review is possible if a decision by a Medical Appeal Board can be seen as in breach of the law (e.g. natural justice). Otherwise judicial review is only possible for certain administrative, legislative or executive decisions made. A decision or recommendation by an outsourced assessor will not fall under a category where judicial review may be sought. Also a simple administrative decision by a WINZ case manager will not necessarily do so. But within the Social Security Act there are steps for reviews and appeals that can be taken.

If a “statutory” decision seriously restricts or denies a person a right, then JR may be an option though.

For medical appeals section 53A is relevant!

If a decision by a “judicial” kind of administrative body, like such a Medical Appeal Board, does not comply with the law, then judicial review is an option, indeed the only further legal step that is possible. It has to be filed at a High Court, but one should get a lawyer (not easy to get for such “civil” cases under legal aid).

There the issues continue for the average beneficiary, not having the means to pay a lawyer themselves.

As a “Principal Health Advisor” Bratt is NOT offering medical SERVICES, that is the problem. He is not employed as a GP (which is his qualification), as a doctor to perform and deliver services in the health area.

He is “merely” an advisor (a damned biased, bizarre and poor one for that sake, but still accepted “advisor” for his employer, MSD), and that does enable him to get away with this, as only “practicing” doctors or other registered medical staff under certain Acts are accountable to standards in law and the Code of Ethics for the NZ medical profession.

So Bratt is like a smart eel, getting through all the gaps, and he knows he can get away with all these bizarre claims and comparisons.

The one who could make a difference is his employer, and guess, who that is.

The MSD cannot pretend they do not know that he presents such one sided, scandalous presentations on pages bearing Work and Income logos.

They do apparently condone this, there is NO other answer, and that is the bloody scandal. MSD are ultimately responsible for letting a staff member get away with using biased, unqualified, unscientific information, and by making absurd, unfounded claims, which also pressurise and “blame” clients that are supposed to be looked after by MSD!

WINZ are already “overloaded”; heard it from case-managers directly.
Bennett / MSD ignored numerous MOH advice that these reforms (sanctions in particular) are going to cause as much harm as they attempt to alleviate. Watch and see.

PS I could get a short term extra 10% budget saving plus out of the Public Service if the executives were put into a set pay scale the way it used to be. Around Wellington I still see far too many fat cat bloated “public servants”. And you and I are paying for them.

Some of the workload of CM’s is self inflicted – declining assistance that the beneficiary is eligible for leading to a review of decision creates massive increases in workload in a very short time.

Do this enough and the system starts to collapse. Today I spoke with a benefit rights advocate and was told that because MSD are obstructing review of decisions, I should try writing the words, “I want to review your decision not to assist with _____”, as opposed to, “I am reviewing the decision not to fund____”.

I can’t see a hell of a lot of difference, but apparently it is designed to prevent the ministry from saying that:
– they haven’t made a decision yet (this can drag out months or forever)
– they are waiting on information about _____
– they are waiting to see if there is a cheaper option (even when multiple quotes are already provided)

My advocate warns me that MSD will still likely run obstructions. It’s what they do.

These are common phrases they use to usurp the legal process. Does the minister know this is happening? I doubt the minister cares.

And in the meantime who is paying for the costs or going without? The client’s who are being disentitled on a daily basis.

My son’s having issues at moment so I’ve had to put my advocate hat back on for him.

The advice I gave him applies to all:

Always fill out an application form – do not accept any verbal no we can’t do that
Always ask for a decision in writing before you leave – most letters are computer generated and can be printed off
Food grant declines have a 24 hour review period if declined – while it’s a review by staff it must be by a manager
If you have used your annual food entitlement and the reason for needing food is outside your control e.g. Paid for an ambulance to go to hospital then managers have the authority to go over those limits

The better informed you are about entitlements the less difficulty there should be.

Keep receipts and provide evidence such as payslips and bank balances – yeah it can be a pain to keep em and I’m hopeless at it myself and as it turns out so is my son but to be honest you shouldn’t put anyone in the position of trying to work out if you are telling the truth or not.

One issue I’m hearing about from my kids friends is around the non-telling to people than you can still be paid a benefit when you have left your job/ been fired.

While you might get a 13 week stand down you should be told you can be paid if you do what they call recomply.

Imagine if those kind of measures were applied to those seeking to become directors on banks, or public companies, or other entities with public scrutiny like Fonterra …

… at the other end of town, South Canterbury Finance cost the taxpayers $805 million. That’s our taxed money yours and mine. Surely such company directors are New Zealand’s most damaging beneficiaries.

It is not the speeches and well placed opposition to the governments “reforms” which are basically designed to “save money” and in the words of the Dead Kennedys “kill the poor”. I totally believe that benefits are there because we cannot rely upon the public or private sector to create jobs.

So Karol, where are these jobs coming from? Let me give you an employers viewpoint.

We as employers need infrastructure and legal services etc from the government so we pay taxes. These we expect will create or maintain positions which we benefit from, which is fine so long as we are making profits and paying the tax to support this. At the moment we have a severely constrained economy, so there is no extra tax to create government jobs.

We could of course “create” credit to pay for these jobs but all we are doing then is creating debt to be paid by tax in the future. Which worked fine when economies could grow, but as an aggregate economic growth ended with peak energy and peak resources, and will now decline (permanently). So that wont create sustainable public sector jobs. Did I forget we also have a financial crisis ongoing since 2008 based around debt.

Now us employers….we stick our necks out on the basis that we invest some cash on the principle that the extra work performed will pay for the employee and leave a profit (otherwise why do it)? We don’t do this as a charitable act, we do it for private gain. The cash we invest is “ours” (or a debt we personally incur). And when times are tough we don’t take the risk. When it gets tougher we retrench (or go bust), lay off staff, cut wages.

Times are tough now. So where are the jobs going to come from? Where are the taxes going to come from?

We don’t need jobs as much as we need to mobilise people into business IMHO. It is easier and quicker for people to find something needed and turn it into a business than it is to try and re-suss the job creation model.

The real economy is being deprived of cash, aggregate demand is down, and foreign corporates are siphoning money out of NZ. Expect small business failures to climb and jobs to be destroyed. Yes a few people will do well in niche markets that they identify, but the investment capital is not available for this to occur on a wider, bigger scale.

The other nasty truth of our money system: large scale job creation can only happen with large scale debt creation.

The public sector. Build more wind turbines (lots of ship building and heavy engineering in that), upgrade existing rail to electric and extend the lines, start building up the infrastructure to run trolley buses in towns and cities. Buy up enough farms that the country can be fed no matter what happens to the international markets.

Where are the taxes going to come from?

Don’t need taxes first – just print the money. This money can also be loaned into the private sector at 0% interest. A lot of those government services carry a user charge and so that’s one part of the taxing system, income tax is another and land tax a third. There’s probably more that can be done.

Under the scenario of the government printing money at 0% interest the government will always run at a deficit (it’s not really a loss, after all, it’s only money and the society gets the social good of whatever the government spent money on) due to the dead weight loss of profit. The trick there is to make it so that accumulating money won’t be of any benefit.

John Yankee represents the market and money both of these categories are amoral.The Market and Money know no Motherland and hence come before the persons who have no money but only New Zealand as their motherland. Can you not see the cruel immorality of that attitude?

It relies on the profit motive which is killing us. The market is no good at matching supply and demand because goods will only be supplied when profitable and then at the expense of destroying the planet.

Instead we need to socialise production.

We would do this by regulating business to make it pay the true costs of public subsidies plus taxes. Then we would offer to socialise those companies that can be made to produce something useful. Instead of privatising public assets we socialise private assets and take the risk out of business.

As collective shareholders of productive assets we all decide what is to be produced to meet the needs that we also decide as consumer collectives. We decide to create jobs for all who want to work by spreading all the now ‘social’ labour around at reduced hours.

For the time being everyone would get back what they put into work, minus a surplus that becomes a public fund for social and economic development.

This is all very straightforward and rational, and the first stages regulating and nationalising strategic business could be done by a left social democratic government. This assumes that NZ workers wake up and vote in a left government that breaks with neo-liberal orthodoxy and introduces a full frontal nationalisation program.

However, monopoly capital would unleash a thousand dotcoms on us, capital strikes and Rimpac marines to protect their private property rights. So any plans to socialise the NZ economy would have to be based on a powerful social movement capable of defending NZ from US and/or Chinese invasions. Even then we would only get away with it if US and Chinese workers kept their military occupied at home.

So, job creation is a simple matter of completely changing everyone’s political views, putting a left-wing govt in total control of the economy and fighting a desperate war against the rest of the western world? Sounds great – when do we start?

People’s political views are conditioned by capitalism so they think that individual competition is natural.
But possessive individualism came only with capitalism.
As I said above when they ‘wake’ up to the con the solutions will seem very obvious.
Workers cooperate when they produce.
Workers produce the wealth.
Without bosses cooperation will become the norm.
Workers can run the economy and cooperate with workers in other countries to swap their products. There is no need for rapid industrial growth dependent on fossil fuels.
Socialism today has nothing to do with growth as such but rather production for need.
Our survival depends on using technology to conserve nature and sustain our existence without destroying the planet.
The transition from capitalism to socialism is mainly a technical problem solvable by cooperation.
The only difficulty is that the rich ruling class will not give up without a fight.
But when it comes to a fight, they are few and we are many.

Well, there is also the difficulty that so far, every time it’s been tried it’s resulted almost immediately in the enslavement of the population by a murderous totalitarian dictatorship. Oddly enough, commos never seem to mention that one…

Quite frankly the socialist model comes out of the same stable as the capitalism of neo liberalism. Both of them depend upon industrialism, and centralized banking control. Both follow materialist constructs, both doom us to ecocide and resource depletion. Both are control freaks which enslave individuals.

The good news is that neither are any longer possible as the tools required utilise vast energy resources that are on their way out. We will be building on a strictly local scale within the forseeable (and probably on foot).

oth of them depend upon industrialism, and centralized banking control. Both follow materialist constructs, both doom us to ecocide and resource depletion. Both are control freaks which enslave individuals.

But at the end of the day, a bankrupt NZ would suit the rapacious thieves in big business around the world. And John Key is delivering it to them on a plate. They are setting us up to become another Greece or Cyprus.

“Ardern then refers to the worrying approach of Dr David Bratt, Chief Medical Adviser. She refers to a recent presentation by Dr Bratt: Ready, Steady, Crook: Are we killing our patients with kindness? Ardern says:

He openly spreads the notion that access to social security is bad for people’s health. Do you know what’s bad for people’s health Mr Speaker: an undignified system that doesn’t focus on people’s strengths and abilities to get back into work; a system that doesn’t focus on their wellness; a system that instead allows them to squander (?) in poverty without the means necessary to even ensure they are one day employable again.”

I heard a bit of Jacinda’s speech re this, and I was for once SO PLEASED, to hear this come from her lips. I felt, my much persistent efforts to raise awareness on all this appalling stuff, that already has been going on since even before the start of Future Focus, ARE FINALLY PAYING OFF! The messages are reaching the ones in Labour and other parties, and advocacy groups, who have all been informed about this, to take it up and challenge the existing process, certainly also the new processes to be put into place soon, kept secret so far.

$2 billion to well off SCF investors and speculators.$1billion to an insurance company that wouldn’t pay up, and not even the slightest suggestion of misappropriation, or fraud. And the directors of AMI are still taking people’s home and contents insurance and collecting their bloated salaries.

Not to mention a number of other less heralded bailouts and pay offs.

These are the biggest Social Welfare bludgers in the country.

Roger Kerr already one of the richest men in the country was gifted $100 million by the taxpayer. There were no suggestions made in parliament on how he should spend it.

The war on beneficiaries is needed to pay for all this largess for the rich.

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Speech – New Zealand First Party This is Maori Language Week and there is a Maori proverb that should be at the front of every politicians mind.2 AUGUST 2015 New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt… ...

Press Release – TPPA Auckland Call to Action Group The stalling of yesterdays TPPA negotiations in Maui provide light relief for the citizens of New Zealand, but we cannot be complacent in thinking that our Government will not continue on… ...

Police Commissioner Mike Bush on Friday announced that tasers will be deployed for the use of all front-line officers. The reasoning behind tasers emphasises the taser’s potential for de-escalation — a “less-than-lethal” alternative to shooting someone — sometimes on the… ...

Press Release – TVNZ CORIN Mr Groser, can you give us a sense of how disappointing this is that you didnt reach an agreement this week?Q + AEpisode 23TIM GROSER Interviewed by CORIN DANN CORIN Mr Groser, can you… ...

Press Release – New Zealand First Party The TPPA was a botch-up from the start, says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.TPPA a botch-up from the start The TPPA was a botch-up… ...

An 18 month old Palestinian toddler is burned to death. The parents of Ali Saad Dawabsheh and 4 yr old brother are in critical conditions with burns up fo 70 % of their bodies. Are we horrified? Well most of… ...

Greece is facing a depression on a scale arguably comparable to the US Great Depression of the late 1920s. Huge unemployment rates and a dramatic drop in family incomes of over 40 percent have Greek citizens pondering what the impacts will be… ...

Image credit: Rachel Knowles – Successful blogging workshop Big problems with Sitemeter The problems with SiteMeter are still bad this month. No data could be obtained for about 50 blogs using SiteMeter. People have also reported strange results. So if… ...

The post-Maui Ministerial Press Conference is just wrapping up, where Ministers yet again were unable to conclude a deal. The Press Conference was heavy on platitudes but light on detail of actual progress, with Ministers trailing out the oft-repeated mantras around… ...

If New York can make most of Central Park car free, then why can’t we do the same with the Domain. That was my thought when watching this video from Streetfilms. Last week, people walking and biking on the Central… ...

Grim Faces And Patriotic Words: With a few, well-chosen, words, Key could place the 2017 General Election beyond the Opposition’s grasp. The Left has been clamouring for New Zealand’s negotiators to reject the TPPA in its current form. But… ...

. . On 14 December, 2010, there was great excitement and jubilation in the Beehive when then-Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced; “This Government is committed to a world-class Corrections system in New Zealand. To achieve that, we must have access… ...

. . On 14 December, 2010, there was great excitement and jubilation in the Beehive when then-Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced; “This Government is committed to a world-class Corrections system in New Zealand. To achieve that, we must have access… ...

Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party Failure to get the TPP agreement across the line gives New Zealanders an opportunity to put more pressure on the Government not to sign away our sovereignty, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.ANDREW LITTLE… ...

Press Release – Green Party The Government should come clean about what concessions it has already made and what issues have been left on the TPP negotiating table, the Green Party said today. 1 August 2015 Time for the Govt… ...

Press Release – New Zealand Government Trade Minister Tim Groser is disappointed that the TPP negotiations were unable to reach a conclusion today, but TPP ministers collectively pledged to meet again as soon as possible to finalise the deal.Hon Tim&hellip; ...

Press Release – AFTINET The failure of TPP Ministers to reach agreement in what was supposed to be the final round of negotiations vindicates the deep concerns of community groups that the TPP is secretly trading away issues like access… ...

Press Release – Professor Jane Kelsey The final ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui has failed. Not opting to stay another day shows the gridlock is serious and potentially intractable, according to University of Auckland law… ...

Press Release – Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Todays fourth final TPP ministerial without a deal means the clock has run on possible U.S. congressional votes in 2015. No deal means the TPP is thrown into the political maelstrom of… ...

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Failure to get the TPP agreement across the line gives New Zealanders an opportunity to put more pressure on the Government not to sign away our sovereignty, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.“New Zealand land, dairy and medicines are up for… ...

After failing to protect the right to stop foreign speculators buying our houses it’s clear the Government is not going to get wins on dairy in their TPP negotiations either, Labour’s Trade and Export spokesperson David Parker says. “Labour has… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Former Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has been thrown under the bus by her successor after its been suggested that Ms Bennett gave the green light to an ‘unethical’ observational study of high-risk children, Labour Children’s spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.… ...

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Draft Transition Recovery Plan on behalf of the New Zealand Labour Party. It is important that the citizens of Canterbury have a voice in the governance of the next step of… ...

Yesterday the Government released the cabinet paper on progress on the work programme of the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. Along with the Human Rights Commissioner and Women’s Refuge, I really welcome the report. I’m relieved that… ...

Yesterday the Government released the cabinet paper on progress on the work programme of the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. Along with the Human Rights Commissioner and Women’s Refuge, I really welcome the report. I’m relieved that… ...

In 2010, National rammed the Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill through Parliament. Paul Quinn’s Member’s Bill existed because Paul Quinn thought anyone who’d been imprisoned was a serious offender, and serious offenders had ‘forfeited’ their right to vote.… ...

The Government has been given a serve by New Zealand-based international trucking and logistics firm Mainfreight which says it lacks a national transport strategy, and has treated rail badly, Labour's Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says. The company has told shareholders it… ...

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is embarking on a campaign to fight the changes that weaken the Health and Safety Reform bill. As part of the campaign the CTU has organised vigils with the display of 291 crosses… ...

Farmers must be given every assurance that all potential risks have been considered before Silver Fern Farms opens its door to foreign equity, Labour’s Primary Industries spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. “The ongoing saga involving the meat sector and amalgamation has… ...

Labour has moved to have the second flag referendum canned if the first attracts fewer than half the eligible number of voters, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says. “John Key has already wasted more than $8 million on his vanity project… ...

New figures obtained by Labour show the ACC Minister’s botched motor vehicle levy system has resulted in 90,000 vehicles having to be reclassified so far – at a cost of $6 million, Labour’s ACC spokesperson Sue Moroney says. “Nikki Kaye’s… ...

Chronic under-funding by National has seen the health budget slashed by $1.7 billion in just five years, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. A report by Infometrics, commissioned by Labour, shows health funding has been cut in four of the… ...

The news that two Serco inmates have been arrested for helping to run a methamphetamine ring from prison should be the final straw and see their contract cancelled, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “National has stood by Serco despite… ...

A proposal being considered by the Government would see some people having to pay more for health care and district health boards forced to fight amongst themselves to fund regional health services, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says “Information leaked… ...

The trouble with the Charter school model is that it is a publicly funded experiment on children. The National Government has consistently put its desire to open charter schools ahead of the safety of the children in them, ignoring repeated… ...

News that an unnamed bank in Ashburton has put a receiver on notice over financially vulnerable farmers will send a chill through rural New Zealand, says Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. “The Government needs to work with New Zealand’s banks… ...

John Key yesterday admitted what National dishonestly refused to confirm in Parliament last week – he is trading away New Zealand’s right to control who buys our homes and land, says Opposition leader Andrew Little. “The Prime Minister must now… ...

Plans by the Government to take a scalpel to democratically elected health boards are deceitful and underhand, coming just months after an election during which they were never signalled, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says “Leaked documents reveals a radical… ...

Corrections Spin Doctors sending their place holder lines to journalists instead of responding to serious allegations shows the scale of chaos at the department over the Serco scandal, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “As more and more serious allegations… ...

A High Court ruling that a law banning prisoners from voting is inconsistent with a properly functioning democracy should be a wake-up call for the Government, Labour’s Justice spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. In an unprecedented ruling Justice Paul Heath has… ...

Congratulations are due to the Problem Gambling Foundation (PGFNZ) who have won their legal case around how the Ministry of Health decided to award their contracts for problem gambling services to another service provider. Congratulations are due not just for&hellip; ...

This week, the Environmental Protection Authority Amendment Bill passed its first reading in Parliament. The Bill puts protection of the environment into the core purpose of the Environmental Protection Authority. This month, Dr Allan Freeth, the former Chief Executive of… ...

The killing of a security guard on his first night on the job is exactly the kind of incident that National’s watered-down health and safety bill won’t prevent, says Te Atatu MP Phil Twyford. The coronial inquest into 22-year-old Charanpreet… ...

Increasing numbers of single parents are being penalised under a regime that is overly focussed on sanctions rather than getting more people into work, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says. “Figures, obtained through Parliamentary questions show 3000 more sanctions,… ...

Hekia Parata’s decision to keep troubled Whangaruru Charter school open despite being presented with a catalogue of failure defies belief, goes against official advice and breaks a Government promise to close these schools if they were failing, says Labour’s Education… ...

Yesterday I attended the launch of a new initiative developed by and for Asian, Middle eastern and African youth to support young people to name and get support if there is domestic violence at home. The impact on children of… ...

The Government’s handling of the Problem Gambling Foundation’s axing in a cost-cutting exercise has been ham-fisted and harmful to some of the most vulnerable people in society, Associate Health Labour spokesperson David Clark says.“Today’s court ruling overturning the axing of… ...

The Labour Party will not support the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement unless key protections for New Zealanders are met, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.“Labour supports free trade. However, we will not support a TPP agreement that undermines New Zealand’s sovereignty. ...

Resident doctors have advised that a severe staffing shortage at North Shore Hospital is putting patients’ lives at risk, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. “They say a mismatch between staffing levels and patient workloads at North Shore has… ...

Six months’ paid parental leave is back on the agenda and a step closer to reality for Kiwi parents after Labour’s new Member’s Bill was pulled from today’s ballot, the Bill’s sponsor and Labour MP Sue Moroney says. “My Bill… ...

New requirements for sole parents to undertake a reapplication process after a year is likely to mean a large number will face benefit cancellations, but not because they have obtained work, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says. “Increasing numbers… ...

Last week the government’s major initiative to combat child poverty (a paltry $25 increase) was exposed for what it is, a lie. The Government, through the Budget this year, claims to be engaging in the child poverty debate, but instead,… ...

The Reserve Bank's decision to cut the Official Cash Rate to 3 per cent shows there is no encore for the so-called 'rock star' economy, says Labour's Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. "Today's interest rate cut comes off the back… ...

In my short 33 years on this planet we’ve seen phenomenal technological, economic and social change, and it’s realistic to expect the next 33 will see even more, even faster change. You can see it in the non-descript warehouse near… ...

A Bill that puts the environment squarely into legislation governing the Environmental Protection Authority passed its first reading today, says Meka Whaitiri. “I introduced this member’s bill as the current law doesn’t actually make protecting the environment a goal of… ...

KiwiSaver statistics released today expose John Key's claim that the cutting of the kickstart payment "will not make a blind bit of difference to the number of people who join KiwiSaver” to be duplicitous, says Labour Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. “Official… ...

All New Zealanders should be treated fairly at work. Currently, the law allows non-employment relationships to be used to get around the minimum wage. This is unfair, says Labour MP David Parker. “The Minimum Wage (Contractor Remuneration) Amendment Bill, a… ...

The Government’s rubber-stamping of every one of the nearly 400 applications from overseas investors to buy New Zealand farm land over the last three years proves tougher laws are needed, Labour MP Phil Goff says. “In the last term of… ...

John Key must ditch the flag referendum before any more taxpayer money is wasted, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says. “Millions of dollars could be saved if the Prime Minister called a halt to this hugely expensive, and highly unpopular, vanity… ...

Government members have prevented Parliament’s Law and Order select committee from getting answers out of a senior Serco director about the fight clubs being run at Mt Eden prisons, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “At today’s Law and Order… ...

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For 19 people in West Auckland, home is living and sleeping on the streets of Waitakere. Their story and the circumstances of their life is captured in the latest report of The Salvation Army, “Hard Times”. The report details an… ...

For 19 people in West Auckland, home is living and sleeping on the streets of Waitakere. Their story and the circumstances of their life is captured in the latest report of The Salvation Army, “Hard Times”. The report details an… ...

It is long past time the New Zealand Government took the people into its confidence and explained their position on the TPPA. There is a lot of information floating about through leaks on Wikileaks etc but our elected representative along… ...

It is long past time the New Zealand Government took the people into its confidence and explained their position on the TPPA. There is a lot of information floating about through leaks on Wikileaks etc but our elected representative along… ...

It is long past time the New Zealand Government took the people into its confidence and explained their position on the TPPA. There is a lot of information floating about through leaks on Wikileaks etc but our elected representative along… ...

Te Kaha And Endeavour Berth in Auckland The Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS TE KAHA and tanker HMNZS ENDEAVOUR returned to the Devonport Naval Base this morning after being deployed since early this year. The ships entered Auckland harbour… ...

“The Prime Minister and the Trade Negotiations Minister have been handed a golden opportunity to shore up flagging support for the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement”, says Democrats for Social Credit Deputy Leader, Chris Leitch. ...

In commemoration of the one year anniversary of the murder of nearly 2000 captive Palestinians in Gaza, taxpayers will today picket the NZ Superfund office to oppose the investment of New Zealanders money into companies which profit off Israel’s ...

The Human Rights Commission is preparing to intervene in a Bible in Schools case in the High Court in Auckland, and this could even up the odds in what was shaping up to be a David v Goliath battle. ...

The stalling of yesterday’s TPPA negotiations in Maui provide light relief for the citizens of New Zealand, but we cannot be complacent in thinking that our Government will not continue on signing our country up to a deal that may… ...

Everyone who has opposed the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into their districts needs to be alarmed at the way central Government is moving to over-ride local council regulations about this matter, says Kelvin Davis, Labour ...

‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui has failed. Not opting to stay another day shows the gridlock is serious and potentially intractable’, according to University of Auckland law professor ...

Retailers will be pleased by news reports that Revenue Minister Todd McClay is taking a paper to Cabinet this month that will allow New Zealand retailers to compete on a fair basis with foreign websites by substantially reducing the threshold… ...

Lisa Owen: Now, changing tack now. Nancy Gibbs is the first woman to lead the iconic Time magazine. What's more, she's leading it into the digital age with her appointment in 2013, heralding a shake-up in the magazine's online offerings.… ...

Headlines: With sanctions being lifted on Iran, McCully says there are big opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Iran and some have been giving the market a lot of thought. “…the opportunities are significant in the short-term and even bigger… ...

Foreign Minister Murray McCully talks to Tova O’Brien in New York about what opportunities the Iran deal creates for New Zealand, whether the families of the MH17 victims will ever get justice, and he has stern words for the world’s… ...

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) is keen to learn more about how the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will impact New Zealand’s health sector if it is accepted by the Government. ...

Secrecy of TPPA documents heads to court A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week. An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade Minister ...

Navy Ships Arriving Home After Long Deployments The frigate HMNZS TE KAHA and tanker HMNZS ENDEAVOUR will arrive at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland at 10am this Sunday 2 August, after long overseas deployments. Over 1100 family and friends… ...

Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) is concerned about the potential for a proposed study on new born children to go awry unless the paramountcy principle of commitment to the Care and Protection of Children is upheld. This commitment means that… ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

After 3 years of legal battle the government has now agreed to make full offers to commercial and vacant land owners whose properties were illegally red-zoned. However it decided to single out self-insured homeowners and offers nothing for their homes. ...

Strong response to Draft Transition Recovery Plan The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has started analysing more than 2500 written comments received on the transition of recovery arrangements in greater Christchurch. The Recovery Plan ...

Heard you were able to get back to your dad’s turangawaewae last week. Mean … hope you had a good catch up with the whanau. I also hear you’re getting ready to endorse the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), and I’m… ...

The family of Lecretia Seales has decided not to appeal the High Court decision in the case of Seales v. Attorney General released to the public by Justice Collins last month on June 5th. Ms Seales passed away several hours… ...

Auckland’s only centre-right Mayoral candidate Stephen Berry says in light of massive rates increases it is inappropriate for the Mayor or any Councillors to be accepting a pay increase. “I propose that until such time as the Council passes a… ...

Predictive risk model in the prevention of child abuse – UNICEF NZ urges caution Research and testing of a predictive risk model to assist in identifying and responding to children at risk of child abuse is important work but must… ...

"Dow AgroSciences, Fonterra and Methanex are three named sponsors of Taranaki Regional Council's Environmental Awards. Their sponsorships makes a total mockery of these awards. This is akin to a weapons manufacturer sponsoring a peace scholarship" ...

Wikileaks has just posted a ‘guidance’ document for TPPA ministers on SOE-related issues ( https://wikileaks.org/tpp-soe-minister/ ). Although dated December 2013, Professor Jane Kelsey, a law professor from the University of Auckland who has monitored ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. ‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui… ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Statement of Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch – Yet Another ‘Final’ TPP Ministerial and Again No Deal; Not… ...

Michael Woodhouse. Image courtesy of TheStandard.org.nz. Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz. On Q+A (TVNZ) on 12 July, Michael Woodhouse, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety discussed ‘Zero-Hour’ labour contracts as a subset… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com MGSM Release: Sydney and Melbourne property prices have grown at more than 15 per cent per annum over the last three years, outperforming any other Australian markets and creating a bubble, says Nobel Prize winning economist Professor… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comNew Zealanders love their holidays and according to recent data released by Statistics NZ, last month alone 198,800 kiwis took a vacation. For the year ending June 2015, over 2.3 million New Zealanders left New Zealand to… ...

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Dr Bryce Edwards. Should we celebrate the super rich in New Zealand or see their growing wealth as a cause of inequality and division? The publication of the NBR’s latest annual Rich List… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 7 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Friday 31st July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the progress of the controversial controversial Health and Safety Reform Bill… ...

Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week.An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade… ...

Source:Smokefreerockquest – Nelson Media Agency – Press Release/Statement: Headline: SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 NATIONAL FINALISTS ANNOUNCEDThe top nine Smokefreerockquest national finalists were announced today, the crème of the 700 bands and solo/duos who entered the nationwide youth music contest this year.Contenders… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonWellington celebrated a milestone last weekend, reaching 150 years as New Zealand’s capital. Thousands of Wellingtonians were enticed to explore the many churches, universities, museums and government buildings the city has to offer. But… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comThe speech text below was used by Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully used to open the Open Debate: Peace and security challenges facing Small Island Developing States, at the UN Security Council, July 30, 2015 (New York… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 6 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 30th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include information showing that Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has confined anew… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.On Morning Report on Friday (24 July), I heard the following exchange between Guyon Espiner and Finance Minister, Bill English.Guyon Espiner: “So what’s the good bit about allowing… ...

Source: Scope Media – PERRIAM. Merino sheep being mustered on Bendigo Station overlooking, Lake Dunstan. Luxury merino fashion brand PERRIAM has been selected for a special showcase on wool in fashion at the prestigious New Zealand Fashion Week… ...

…he can do anything he wants….his suit is 100% NASA-engineered teflon & stuff… …so it’s been such an amazing run that el presidente recently decided on a make over and costuming – because he can…because he can do what… ...

Political roundup by Dr Bryce Edwards Dr Bryce Edwards. $100,000 a year to imprison a person is a lot of money. That’s the striking figure at the centre of the current prison scandal and debate, in a country… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Wednesday 29th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the possibility of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks coming… ...

Investigation by Carolyn Skelton.Negative side effects of isotretinoinIn my research of the acne last resort drug, isotretinoin, I came across a couple of issues related to the impact of Big Pharma, Pharmac, and potential impacts of the TPP.… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Tuesday 28th July.NEWSROOM_MONITOR Top stories in the current news cycle include more leaked documents that show the funding of District Health Boards… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.In response to my Money, Flow and Debt (Daily Blog and Evening Report, 25 July 2015) one reader responded to my comments about money hoarding and compensatory debt&hellip; ...

Source: Hot Topic – By Gareth Renowden – Analysis published with permission of Hot-Topic.co.nz Headline: A tale of two hemispheres At the end of June, Professor Jim Renwick of Victoria University gave his inaugural lecture. As you might expect of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

Source: Asia Pacific Lawyers Network.“Evidence is mounting of increasing numbers of internet romantics and international travellers risking their lives after being deceived, coerced and ultimately exploited by sophisticated international drug cartels,” New Zealand death penalty defence… ...

…exactly when am i a journalist? …the hager case has raised some big issues…is it time to professionalise journalism? …personally i think the hand-writing a tag or a name sticker that says “reporter” is the standard we should… ...

Eyes of Fire (fifth edition) launched Friday July 10, 2015. Opinion piece by Professor David Robie of AUT’s School of Communication Studies – David travelled on board the Rainbow Warrior for 10 weeks before the bombing and wrote the book&hellip; ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz.To sort out our intransigent economic problems, ordinary people need to understand how things actually work today and how things do not work. The peasants need to challenge… ...

Report by Alistar Kata – Pacific Media Centre/Pacific Media Watch.AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): Most audiences are used to seeing Wairere Tame Iti as the Māori activist, who most notably shot the Australian flag at a 2005 Waitangi Tribunal… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Friday 24th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include more concerns about effects of the Government’s tougher welfare policy and the… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com – Contributed by Olexander BarnesWellington is the city where the vampire film “What we do in the Shadows” takes place, but there are more dangers on our streets than just vampires. Living Streets Aotearoa and the Urban Design… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comIt may be a fact of the news cycle that Thursday night’s release of research focused on asthma health literacy for Māori children in New Zealand – He Māramatanga Huangō – wasn’t destined to make the 6pm bulletin.… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonNew research from a Victoria University professor shows a longer parole period will decrease the risk of prisoners reoffending. Psychology professor Devon Polaschek’s work Surviving the first year explores how prisoners who are… ...

Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup – The Housing apartheid problem Dr Bryce Edwards. There’s a social divide opening up in New Zealand cities, especially Auckland, over home ownership. But is the division about race or wealth? And what can… ...

Containing the impacts in NZ: Acne and isotretinoin IIIInvestigation by Carolyn Skelton.In my previous pieces I addressed problems with acne and a last resort anti-acne drug (isotretinoin); a drug which has tended towards being overused and under-regulated. Many… ...

Source: Royal New Zealand Ballet A magical world premiere from the RNZB – The Vodafone Season of A Midsummer Night’s DreamIn an unprecedented artistic coup the Royal New Zealand Ballet has commissioned one of the world’s most sought after choreographers… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 5 links for the day of Thursday 23rd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include a report from ACClaim Otago, a support group for injured people that… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Olexander BarnesDebates on issues like euthanasia deserve the widest possible audience. It was fitting then that the lecture hall in the Otago campus next to Wellington hospital was packed full of people, all eager to… ...

Source: Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand New Civil Aviation Rules for unmanned aircraft coming into force next week will improve aviation safety for operators, other airspace users and people and property. Civil Aviation Rule Part 102… ...

Source:Reserve Bank of New Zealand Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler announced this morning that the Reserve Bank has reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.0 percent.Graeme Wheeler said the global economic growth remains moderate,… ...

Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning. Selwyn Manning and Australian radio station FiveAA’s Peter Godfrey deliver their weekly bulletin, Across The Ditch. This week New Zealand’s Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Inga under pressure to resign after scandalous and tragic… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Tuesday 22nd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include Parliament unanimously passing legislation to fix a legal loophole that would have… ...

From The Virtual Desk of Ant Timpson. It all started with a synopsis and a poster submitted to a film competition. From 500 submissions, one winner emerged victorious. The filmmaker’s name was Jason Lei Howden and his winning idea was… ...